Free Big Bad Bear by Terry Bolryder Page B

had to take care of business first.
    “So then I was wounded, and then…” He looked at Carly, wondering how to handle the bear thing. Had she seen?
    “Then a big freaking bear came out of the woods and messed everyone up,” Carly said, shaking her head. “I know you two aren’t going to believe me, but it’s all I’ve been thinking about… you know, when not thinking about the fight and Zeus getting hurt. I mean, Zeus said there was a bear up in the woods, but I didn’t think it was friendly to humans.” She put her head in her hands. “Now that I think about it, it’s almost like he was protecting us. I mean, he fought like a demon but never threatened or hurt Zeus.”
    Ares’s eyes twinkled as he looked over at Zeus, and Zeus sent him a warning glare. “Now that you mention it, Zeus did say there was a bear up around his place. A friendly one, though,” Ares said.
    Carly raised an eyebrow. “Are bears ever friendly? I thought they ate campers and stuff.”
    Ares grimaced in disgust. “None of the bears I know.”
    She raised an eyebrow. “And you know a lot of bears?”
    Ares didn’t miss a beat. “Well, yeah. I grew up in Bearstone Village. Worked summers in Bearstone Park. There are bears around.”
    “I see,” she said. “Why do I feel like there’s something you two aren’t telling me?” She glared at Zeus, and he looked away, not meeting her gaze. He could tell her when all of this cooled down. It would be too much right now.
    “Anyway, this bear up around Zeus’s place, what did he do?”
    She laughed, shaking her head as she remembered it. “I don’t know. He knocked them off their motorcycles, stuff like that.”
    “Sounds like a badass bear,” Ares said, grinning.
    “But was I hallucinating due to stress?” Carly asked, looking like she was doubting herself. “I mean, why would a bear join a fight?”
    Ares’s eyes were doing that twinkling thing again, though his voice was serious. “Maybe it was protecting its territory. Bears are very possessive of what’s theirs.”
    “Yeah,” Zeus said, joining in with a gruff voice. “That bear especially.”
    Carly looked between them in puzzlement and then laughed. “Well, I’m just glad you’re okay and the bear was on the side of justice.”
    “Always,” Zeus said, unable to help himself. “But just in case, probably don’t trust any other bears.”
    She waved a hand. “Of course not. Honestly, bears terrify me. I’m not even sure I’d feel safe going back to your cabin, knowing that one’s going to be around.”
    Zeus tried not to frown. He knew Carly didn’t know anything about shifters, and bears were naturally scary animals, but part of him was still hurt by that. It made him that much more reluctant to tell her the truth. Could he really hope she would accept him when he did?
    “Hey now,” Ares said. “Bears are just like any creatures, including humans. There are some bad ones and some good ones, but most of them won’t hurt you unless you try to hurt them or their family.”
    Carly sighed and nodded. “I suppose.” She walked over to Zeus and put a warm, soft hand on his shoulder, calming the animal inside him. She might not know what he was, but for now, she made him feel at peace, at home. Made the animal inside him purr.
    He had to hope she would accept him when the time came. He had to trust his bear knew best.
    He turned to Ares. “So what now?”
    Ares stood. “I’m going out to catch up with the police at the scene, if they’re still there. You know they’re slow to respond. If they ask about you two, I’ll tell them you disappeared into the woods. Make them waste some time sending a search party. That way they’ll be on the wrong trail.”
    Zeus nodded. “That gives us time to make plans on how to deal with the Devils in the meantime.”
    “Right,” Ares agreed, stretching his shoulders, cracking his neck, and heading out.
    “You armed?” Zeus asked.
    Ares let out a huge grin that